1950
by KrazyKimmy
Summary: Set in the winter of 1950; fifth year Minerva McGonagall realises she loves Albus Dumbledore. In the snow; he looks divine. When kissing the headmaster, less so. When- hey what? Albus is gay? Oh... Well, Minerva didn't see that one coming...
1. Feelings in First Snowfall

In the year of 1950, I started to realise that the feelings of admiration I had for Professor Dumbledore were more than that.

It was in the afternoon off, when we got our first snow of the season, that I truly fell for him. He came outside, in his oh so ridiculous robes, I remember them being a midnight blue, a beautiful, complementary colour, but they were velvet.

So I walked up to him, I was never one for snowfights (in actual fact I'd been leaning against the castle wall sketching) and asked him, "Aren't you robes going to get wet, Professor?"

He looked at me, blue eyes twinkling, and lent towards me, "Flitwick told me of a little something that will keep them dry, don't you worry."

"Oh," I replied, looking down at the hem of my own trousers, which were, unfortunately, wet.

He chuckled, "Now now, we can't have that can we?" And he pulled out his wand from god knows which ruffle in those ridiculous robes, and gave it flick.

"Oh! Thank you Professor!" I exclaimed.

He laughed again, "No problem my dear, no problem at all." And still chortling, he walked off into the grounds, ducking as a snowball whizzed over his head.

I was left there, standing, alone in front of the doors. "He called me 'dear'." I whispered, through my fingers that were over my mouth. "He actually called me 'dear.'"

Several sixth years chose that moment to run out the doors, and shoved past me, "Move it, twerp!" They yelled, but I didn't hear.

I stumbled to the side as they pushed me, but still had tears of joy in my eyes, and a dandy smile on my face.

Spirit golden, I went back to the castle wall, and began drawing the scenery, making sure to capture Dumbledore in the distance, standing on the slight hill, against what I would soon draw to be a moonlit sky.


	2. The Astronomy Tower

And indeed I did draw that. It would be several months later when I would get around to drawing it, but from the astronomy tower, (how I had managed to avoid the prefects and teachers I didn't know,) I stood, leaning on the balcony, drawing to my hearts content.

The wind blew outside, but even while I only had a thin tartan shawl over my nightgown, I didn't seem to feel it.

Remembering the absurd hat that Dumbledore had worn to the End Of Term feast, I drew it on him. Feeling quite proud of myself, I put my self-inking quill behind my ear for safe-keeping, and ripped the page out of my notebook. I was extremely proud of myself as I held it out in-front of myself. The large full moon shone threw the paper, giving the thin parchment a kind of glow.

"Miss McGonagall?" A adult, teacher voice came from behind me.

I jumped, and almost let go of my hard work.

Slowly I turned around, hiding me picture behind me.

When I saw who it was, I almost flipped right over that rail I was leaning against.

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't be too badly told off.

"Whatever are you doing up here?" He asked, not angry, but merely curious.

"Uhh..."

He walked beside me, and took in the night-sky, before turning to face me again.

"I.. was just admiring the moon."

He followed my gaze, and nodded. "I can see why." He smiled.

"Can't you see it from your room?" He then asked.

"The view isn't the same. Not quite so... real somehow."

He frowned, but nodded. "Yes, can I ask you something else?"

I licked my lips, and nodded.

"What have you got behind your back?" He smiled, eyes twinkling like the stars behind them.

"Ah." I said.

"Oh, come now Miss McGonagall. Surely it's not that incriminating?"

I looked around the room for something to distract the curious professor.

"Oh please?"

I looked back to see the Professor trying 'puppy-eyes' on me, with his head tilted to one side.

I took a step back, "Are you feeling OK Professor?" I wondered.

"I'm fine, merely curious. Please show me...?" He pushed off the rail he was leaning against, standing in-front of me.

He held out a hand, open palmed.

I looked at it, debating whether or not to put my picture there. How I just wanted to put my own hand there!

I looked up into his eyes, which were sparkling marvellously now he had stepped into the dark of the tower, no longer reflecting the bright light of the moon.

Just like the stars,... their own light...

Taking a deep breath, I brought my picture out from behind my back, gave it one last glance, then put it face-down into his outstretched palm.

He looked at it, then walked back over to the balcony, silently.

I followed him, looking for any signs of like, dislike, ... anything.

Before I knew it I had just backed against the steel bar of the balcony rail. Ouch! Did it hurt!

Dumbledore was still studying the picture.

"This is tonight's moon?" He finally confirmed, looking to me sidelong from the picture.

"Uh-huh." I nodded.

"But not tonight's snow." He told me.

"October's - that first day when everyone got the afternoon off?"

"Oh yes. ... Ha." Dumbledore smiled at the memory of creaming Dippet in a snowball fight.

I frowned, but didn't say anything.

Turning his head to the side, he stretched his legs out behind him, and leaned his arms on the rail. "You know, this is very good." He told me.

I beamed, a smile wider and brighter than even the moon.

He watched me smiling, then looked back to the picture. "The shading is amazing, the sheer talent you have Miss McGonagall. Everything is in proportion... Is that the quill you used?" He asked, seeing it properly as I had looked towards general direction of the clock tower as it stroke twelve.

"Uhh.. Yeah." I pulled it out from behind my ear, grinning slightly as it tickled.

He took it, gently from my hand. "'S not one from Florish and Blotts is it?"

Again, I smiled rather sheepishly. "Actually no. It's from my owl, Romania. She moults, and in the summer I just thought..."

Dumbledore gave a almost laugh, "You know I never thought of that. Fawkes would make excellent quills!" Shaking his head at the idea, he inspected the nib. "And did you make this again?"

Once more I nodded.

"But however did you do it? I mean, you're not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts.."

"Mother melted some metal for me, and I simply shaped it around the feather, and using a needle created the groove... It wasn't that hard."

Dumbledore's face was in awe. "My word Miss McGonagall, you really are more talented than I thought!"

Dumbledore gave me back her quill, and took one last glance at the picture, before giving it back.

"Oh no you don't!" He practically yelled, keeping hold of the parchment; having just spotted something. "Who, may I ask, is that?" He was pointing to a man standing profile on the hilltop, watching the moon.

"Uhh..." I blushed.

"Is that, by any chance, me?"

I looked away and nodded.

"My dear child! How perfectly wonderful!"

I looked back at him, confused.

He was squinting at the picture, which was held close to his face, "You even got my glasses!"

I smiled, so he did like it? ...!

"And my hat, which is very good by the way, and my robes... and everything. Oh," He suddenly appeared pained. "Can I keep it?"

"Pardon?" I can't have heard right.

"Please can I keep it?"

"Uh... Well..." I turned around, thinking.

A hand was placed on my shoulder, "Please... Minerva?"

I turned around, and we were so close our noses were almost touching. Before I fainted from sheer delight, I answered him. "Yes." It came out a great deal huskier than I wanted it too.

In delight, he pulled me into a hug, before realising the impromptu of the situation, and was then walking, or rather dancing, down the steps and to the door of the tower.

"Oh, and Minerva? I didn't see you here." He said, before winking and walking out, closing the door behind him.

I was so happy I could have flown back to the Gryffindor tower! I practically glided back to my chambers, were I jumped upon the bed and dreamed the night away, wondering of the possibilities of myself and Professor Dumbledore.

But nothing lasts forever...


	3. Kissing the Headmaster

But nothing lasts forever...

I stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas, mainly so I could get access to the library. I was planning to ask Professor Dumbledore about animagus transformations. I was talking to the librarian about whether we had any books on animagi, and she told me that we did, but they were in the restricted section. She explained that I needed a signed form from a teacher to be able to enter it.

So I thanked her, and went on my way to find Dumbledore, form in hand.

He was in his classroom, I could see the lamp light flickering inside through the windows...

I knocked, and opened the door, "Professor?" I asked, peeking around the inside, thoroughly expecting him to be at his desk, checking papers or something.

What I had not expected, however, was him to be leaning on his desk, hands running over someone else's back, and them kissing Dumbledore like there was no tomorrow.

I gawped, I didn't know what else to do.

Then to my horror, as both parties froze, taking in my voice, ***Professor Dippet*** stood up, and brushed his robes down.

I turned away almost immediately. "Sorry! I'll um, maybe come back later. Tomorrow. Next week. Good bye!"

I ran out of the room, and outside into the frosty evening air. What a fool I was! Of course Dumbledore was gay, one only needed to look at the garish way he dressed to tell her was gay. "Oh Minerva, what a fool you are!" I muttered to myself, tears pouring down my face

I heard footsteps coming from behind me, and hurried to dry my tears.

Looking away as the owner of the footsteps hurried down the front steps, I was surprised when they came to stop near me, and someone put a hand on my shoulder.

"Minerva?" Came a familiar voice.

I turned to see Dumbledore, now looking rather sheepish, but at least somewhat more respectable.

"Sir." I greeted him, turning red.

"I... uh, want to apologise for the ... state you found me in. It was unacceptable."

"No, no. I should have waited for the door to be opened, I ran into your room unannounced. Could you forgive me?"

"Only if you forgive me."

I nodded, and he smiled.

I looked away, trying to hold back a fresh batch of tears.

Dumbledore, seemingly unaware of my predicament, made himself comfy leaning against the wall. "I hope you don't think any the less of me, catching me like you did."

I could feel his gaze on me, and shook my head. "'Course not."

"That's good. Just for the record, I'm not usually like that. But I didn't know if my status as teacher would have been meddled with if I didn't kiss him back." Dumbledore stated.

"He kissed you?" I frowned.

Dumbledore nodded. "And it is rather hard to deny the headmaster a kiss. Wouldn't you think?"

I shook my head, flabbergasted. "I wouldn't really know sir, never having found myself in that... position before."

Dumbledore chuckled, "Quite right." He took a deep intake of breath, then let it out, watching the 'dragons fire' melt into the evening mist. "What was it you were coming to see me for, anyway?"

"Um... Oh, I was coming to ask if you could sign a slip for me to get a book on animagus transformations from the restricted section of the library."

Dumbledore smiled, "Of course. I should have realised you would be curious about animagi by now."

I turned my head, confused at what he found so humorous.

He smiled, resisting the urge to laugh, "Come inside, and I'll see what I can do." He beckoned.

When we arrived at his classroom; it was empty.

He laughed to himself, and strode up to his desk. After rummaging around for his quill (the papers were all a mess, and everything had fallen over) he sighed.

"Um.. Miss McGonagall. Could I...?" He gestured to my head.

I frowned and smiled, unsure of what he was asking, then out of the corner of my eyes saw the tip of my quill.

"Oh, of course!" I grabbed Romania's feather and handed it to Dumbledore. "It's self-inking." I reminded him, as he went to dip it in an inkwell.

"You really are too talented, my dear." He said, signing an elaborate signature on the pink slip of parchment.

I smiled, blushing; and looked around the room.

I only really knew it as my transfiguration classroom, and never before had noticed the odd gizmo's that were surrounding the teacher's desk.

An intricately carved box sat upon a coffee table, taking a few steps forward to take a closer look at it, I saw it was made of a light coloured wood, and had vines and flowers etched into it.

It was beautiful.

"Tap it with your wand." A voice said to me from close behind.

I did so, somewhat embarrassed for having been caught staring at his personal possessions; and gasped and the beauty of what lay inside.

It was a chess set, the pieces were made of the mahogany and beech wood; and also detailed with flowers and such.

The pawn's were tree stumps, surrounded by patches of grass, the castle's cliffs, with birds circling above them. The knights' were foxes. The bishops were rabbits, with a butterfly on their noses, and the king and queen the most beautiful trees. The queen was a willow, leaves all carved and decorated; the king an oak tree.

I could help but pick up a queen to look at the detail; they were...

"Amazing." I mused.

I heard Albus behind me chuckle. "I guess you like them."

"They're... they're..." I couldn't find the right word to describe it.

He chuckled again, and handed me the signed slip.

I carefully placed the chess piece down, handling it like china.

"Want to play a game?" Dumbledore asked, bringing a dark wooded chair to the coffee table.

"I... you... Wouldn't it break the pieces sir?"

"Hehe, Minerva!" He laughed, "We are witches and wizards, are we not?" He smiled, sitting down.

I blushed, then took the seat opposite him.


	4. The Forbidden Forest

That first chess game between us took ages, namely because I was more concerned about Albus not 'taking' my pieces, so as to save them from harm, then actually checkmating him.

I think he picked up on that; and deliberately 'took' my queen with his; chuckling all the while as the tree fell and appeared to splinter across the board.

After that it became a somewhat all out war, ending in us both thoroughly hyped up and full of adrenaline; and of course, Albus won.

* * *

><p>After that game, we went outside for a walk, with my signed slip carefully folded in the pockets of my outer robe.<p>

It was a casual relationship we seemed to have now; more like friends, less like teachers.

I wonder if that's because he doesn't want me telling anyone else of what I caught him-

I blushed inadvertently, looking away. How embarrassing it must have been for a student to walk in when -

Change the topic of your thoughts now girl!

"Everything alright, Minerva?" Albus asked, wandering closer to me as we skirted the edges of the Forbidden Forest, as I drifted slightly, trying to cleanse my (rather dirty) thoughts.

I looked up and smiled, "Everything's, everything's good. Everything's fine." Little did he know how good.

"Good." He smiled.

I felt my heart warm inside at that smile, his eyes sparkled; and he was beautiful. And he now called me 'Minerva'.

Nothing could be better. Really.

Were I to die now, I'd die happy.


End file.
